3D Printers

[JonC]

21 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

I have one bolted permanently onto my Prusa i3 MK2, it gives you the same type of functionality you get with the Duet Ethernet\WIFI, so very worthwhile installing, 

Main task at the moment is learning how to use the various software. Going to start with Cura to allow me to use existing models, have also downloaded and got the free license for Fusion 360 so I can make my own models. First test print came out very well, probably haven't got enough PLA to do a 2nd, picking some up tomorrow. The quality of the components of the Ender 3, and its ease of assembly has surprised me. 

[JamesF]

I found OpenSCAD quite good for modelling because I understood the way it works (adding and subtracting solid objects from each other, basically), but I'm thinking it will in the end prove limiting in the end and perhaps I will have to bite the bullet and put some time into learning one of the CAD packages sufficiently well to make it practical.  I know Gina has in the past used SketchUp, which actually isn't that different from OpenSCAD other than the fact that the interaction is via a GUI in SketchUp and a simple programming language in OpenSCAD.

The plethora of slicing engines I am still trying to get my head around...

James

[JamesF]

On 11/12/2018 at 14:55, Stub Mandrel said:

First try not great due to drippy hot end and cheap (sub-£10) filament

Nobody likes a drippy hot end.  Or was that a soggy bottom?  I forget.  I was tempted to try this and have downloaded the STL, but I'm not sure it's worth a go until I have my cooling fan sorted.  Also need to swap down to a 0.4mm nozzle.

James

[JamesF]

Oh well, I had a go anyhow.  I don't think Slic3r made the best job of slicing the model, but it didn't come out too badly other than the head, where the PLA just hadn't cooled enough between layers.  I suspect it would work better with a smaller nozzle, too.

James

[Atreta]

The one thing i want to add to my ender 3 is auto bed leveling. I'm still researching the best method between capacitive or inductive sensors, etc. 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Personally, I'd forget Cura, as I found it didn't produce good results.

Instead I mostly use Prusas' variant of Slic3r (https://www.prusa3d.com/slic3r-prusa-edition/) which has much more control of machine, materials, print control, than Cura, or even Simplify3d (paid for). I even use it to slice models for use on my DBot\DuetEthernet machine.

As for design work, I use OpenScad, but it can be daunting for new users, but for quick simple knock ups, I tend to use AutoDesks' Tinkercad (https://www.tinkercad.com/) which is free for personal use. It is not as powerful as some other packages (paid & free) but is a simple tool to use & produce workable objects.

As for bed levelling, I've tried various device, switched\capacitive\inductive etc. and the most accurate and repeatable, I've found, are the Pinda probes fitted to Prusa printers, and the Precision Piezo devices (https://www.precisionpiezo.co.uk/). The Pinda's are difficult to get, but the PP's are cheap, easy to fit, but you lose some print height...

 

[Gina]

I use inductive probes but these need metal to work.  I use very thin copper foil pads stuck to the top of the glass.

[Atreta]

5 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Personally, I'd forget Cura, as I found it didn't produce good results.

Instead I mostly use Prusas' variant of Slic3r (https://www.prusa3d.com/slic3r-prusa-edition/) which has much more control of machine, materials, print control, than Cura, or even Simplify3d (paid for). I even use it to slice models for use on my DBot\DuetEthernet machine.

As for design work, I use OpenScad, but it can be daunting for new users, but for quick simple knock ups, I tend to use AutoDesks' Tinkercad (https://www.tinkercad.com/) which is free for personal use. It is not as powerful as some other packages (paid & free) but is a simple tool to use & produce workable objects.

As for bed levelling, I've tried various device, switched\capacitive\inductive etc. and the most accurate and repeatable, I've found, are the Pinda probes fitted to Prusa printers, and the Precision Piezo devices (https://www.precisionpiezo.co.uk/). The Pinda's are difficult to get, but the PP's are cheap, easy to fit, but you lose some print height...

 

Piezo sensor looks interesting, is there any videos showing it fitted to an ender? 

[Dave_D]

Just now, Atreta said:

Piezo sensor looks interesting, is there any videos showing it fitted to an ender? 

i was building a piezo mount on my anet but it just wouldnt print the parts well enough. time to retry it on the ender

 

15 hours ago, JamesF said:

I found OpenSCAD quite good for modelling because I understood the way it works (adding and subtracting solid objects from each other, basically), but I'm thinking it will in the end prove limiting in the end...

 

can't see why. i modelled these in OpenSCAD. mostly parametric, i can change the focal length variable and all strut lengths etc are automatically calculated.

not 3D printing related but OpenSCAD is as powerful as any once you understand how to code it.

[Atreta]

13 minutes ago, Gina said:

I use inductive probes but these need metal to work.  I use very thin copper foil pads stuck to the top of the glass.

Interesting. Do you cover the whole glass? Does it get ripped with the models when you remove them? 

Edited December 16, 2018 by Atreta

[Atreta]

5 minutes ago, Dave_D said:

time to retry it on the ender

Please share when you do

[Gina]

32 minutes ago, Atreta said:

Interesting. Do you cover the whole glass? Does it get ripped with the models when you remove them? 

No, just about a 1" square where the probing points are (I use 9 but I think 4 would be sufficient with a glass bed, which is very flat).  Sometimes the models do stick better to the copper than the copper does to the glass but that's mostly when I'm too eager to get the print off before it's cooled down enough. 

[Thalestris24]

Quick question for you 3D printer gurus... Would a printer such as the Ender 3 let me make (amongst many other things) custom telescope fittings with, say, 1.25" barrel and either c-mount, T2 or M48 threads?

Cheers

Louise

[Dr_Ju_ju]

the barrel is the easy bit, doing a thread for T2\M48 would be challenging...

but if you can come to the problem from a different angle then maybe they will do what you want....

[JamesF]

Yes, I'm thinking it would be quite tricky to print accurate metric threads.

James

[upahill]

I think an FDM printer would struggle with fine threads like that. You would need the smallest nozzle you could get and that brings a host of new difficulties.
I did look at M48 die cutters out of curiosity but at £200+ that's madness too!

I have had some success in softening printed parts and then impressing threads into them - and using existing threads to cut threads into PLA which could be a viable approach depending on the application.

[Gina]

I've printed astro parts in ABS which is softer than PLA and screwed metal parts onto or into the plastic.  Just a question of allowing a couple of tenths of a mm interference fit.

Edited December 16, 2018 by Gina

[Thalestris24]

Ok - thanks. Sounds challenging! I thought I was probably hoping for too much from plastic...

Cheers

Louise

[Atreta]

1 hour ago, Thalestris24 said:

Quick question for you 3D printer gurus... Would a printer such as the Ender 3 let me make (amongst many other things) custom telescope fittings with, say, 1.25" barrel and either c-mount, T2 or M48 threads?

Cheers

Louise

I was trying to make a m48 t2 adapter for my coma corrector but i couldn't create a custom thread in fusion 360. If someone could help me out with this i can make a test print to see how it goes. 

[Stub Mandrel]

T-mount adaptor, not a perfect thread profile but works perfectly well, other part is a female Canon bayonet fit:

[Stub Mandrel]

Way to make threads is to draw a cross section and use a spiral extrude (I use Alibre Atom3D and used to use TurboCAD, it can be done that way in both). I'm sure you can do this in fusion as well.

[Gina]

Has anyone added a cable chain to their 3D printer to support the "umbilical" (set of cables to the X carriage)?  I'm trying to work something out for my upgraded Giant printer.

[Gina]

It's alright - I think I have it sussed.

[JamesF]

Wouldn't there be some sort of "bump" on one of the inner faces where they join, so the pieces would clip together?

James

[Gina]

I'm using screws.  Tried clip together but didn't work - probably wrong type of filament...